Once upon a time, a kind and hardworking boy named Ando lived with his beloved grandmother in a peaceful little village. Their cozy home was nestled right beside a very big and mysterious forest. Ando was a super diligent student and never, ever missed a day of school! When he wasn't busy learning, he loved to help his sweet grandmother work on their farm. He also had a very special friend: his pet dog, Barky, who was just three months old and very playful. Ando and Barky often spent happy hours running and playing together in the sunshine.

One lovely day, Ando set off on a special mission. He walked bravely towards the big, green forest because he needed to gather some dry firewood. In their village, his grandmother and all the other kind villagers used firewood every single day to cook their yummy meals and keep their homes warm. Even though Ando was only ten years old, a young boy with a big heart, he was not afraid to go into the forest all by himself; he was very brave and knew the forest well.

Ando carefully looked for old branches that had fallen down from the tall trees. He gathered them from underneath a very large, strong tree, picking up each piece. Then, he bundled all the branches together very tightly so he could carry them easily on his shoulder. He didn't feel lonely at all while he was deep in the forest. All around him, there were so many happy forest animals, and the sounds of their chirping, singing, and chattering calls were like beautiful music to his ears.

Gathering firewood can be very tiring work, especially after Ando had walked so far away from his cozy home! His arms and legs felt a bit heavy. So, he decided it was time to take a nice, long break. He found a comfortable spot, sat down, and happily enjoyed the delicious lunch that he had carefully brought with him from home. It tasted extra good after all that hard work!

Shortly after he finished his yummy lunch, Ando stood up, feeling refreshed. He carefully put the big bundle of firewood onto his shoulder and started his journey back home. He walked along the forest path, whistling a happy tune and even trying to copy the cheerful chirping sounds of the little birds he heard around him. It was a peaceful walk, and he felt happy to be heading back.

Not far along the way, while he was whistling, Ando suddenly saw something amazing! A beautiful hornbill bird was sitting quietly on a small tree branch. The bird looked very calm and friendly, almost as if it wasn't afraid of him at all. So, Ando slowly reached out his hand, hoping to gently touch the bird, but it was too quick! The hornbill swiftly flew away and landed on another tree branch nearby.

Ando really, really wanted to see the hornbill up close! So, he quickly ran towards the bird and held out his hand again, but once more, the clever bird flew away and escaped his grasp. Ando tried many, many times to catch the bird, running after it each time it moved. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't catch the speedy hornbill. Finally, feeling a little bit tired but still determined, Ando decided to stop trying. "I'll try again another time," he muttered softly to himself. "Now, it's time to go home."

But while Ando had been busy running after the playful hornbill, he didn't realize how far he had gone! He had unknowingly walked deeper and deeper into the very heart of the big forest. When he looked around, everything looked different and unfamiliar. He felt confused and didn't know which way was home anymore. Ando soon realized, with a little worry in his heart, that he was lost! He walked for nearly a whole hour, but no matter which path he took, he couldn't find his way out of the vast forest. It felt like he was a complete stranger in a brand new, unknown place.

Just when Ando was starting to feel very sad and a little bit scared, thinking he might have to spend the night all alone in the dark forest, he heard a familiar sound! "Woof, woof!" It was a happy dog barking! Ando's face lit up with a huge smile as his loyal little dog, Barky, came running super fast towards him! Oh, he was so happy to see his best friend! Ando immediately bent down, gave his cute companion a big, loving hug, and lots of happy kisses. "Thank you, thank you, Barky!" Ando said, his voice full of gratitude. "You are truly the most loyal friend to me. If you hadn't come to find me, I would have been stuck in this big forest all night long!"

Barky, with his super amazing sense of smell, knew exactly which way to go. He had no trouble at all guiding Ando safely out of the big, dark forest. As the sun began to set and the evening arrived, Ando finally reached his cozy home. His grandmother, who had been waiting anxiously and worrying about her beloved grandson, welcomed him with a huge, joyful hug and a happy smile, so relieved to see him safe and sound.